Cell culture is a useful technique in both research and clinical contexts. For example, culture of mammalian cells is often performed in order to establish clonal cell lines, tissue preparations, in vitro fertilization preparations or to expand populations of stem cells. However, maintenance of cell cultures in presently available cell incubators is a laborious process requiring highly trained personnel and stringent aseptic conditions. For example, to passage adherent cells at an appropriate degree of confluence, the adherent cells must be dissociated from the cell culture vessel in which they have been propagated and to which they have adhered. Typically, this process involves removing the cell culture vessel from a controlled environment (e.g., an incubator) to a cell culture hood and manually passaging the cells. This high level of human involvement can introduce contaminants into the culture or damage the cells, thereby lowering culture efficiency and repeatability.